Walker Kessler ☆

Availability

His team isn't in the games shown here yet; his current status appears once it is.

This season

No data collected yet this season. His averages, lines history and splits fill in after his first regular-season game. Why?

• Podcast Locked On Lakers host · Analysis · 41 h ago

  Host analysis: play between Luka and Austin turned into a ball-dominant 'your turn, my turn' style, with both trying out Kessler. The host links that style to their 11 turnovers.

• X Law Murray (@LawMurrayTheNU) · Report · 42 h ago

  Walker Kessler has hit 30 minutes but he's still out there. Nuggets have outscored Lakers by 23 points in Kessler's minutes

• Podcast Locked On Lakers host · Analysis · Oct 16

  Host analysis: in a roundabout way the Lakers would be swapping Ayton for Sims, who is less established than Ayton. A host says he is personally concerned that Ayton would have been unhappy in his role. The ASR text about the role relative to Walker Kessler is garbled.

• Podcast Locked On Lakers host · Opinion · Oct 16

  Host analysis: the Lakers have very limited trade assets, partly because of what they gave up in the Walker Kessler deal and past trades. The hosts say asset management has not been Rob Palenka's (likely Rob Pelinka) strong suit.

• Podcast Locked On Lakers host · Report · Oct 16

  In Tuesday's preseason game, Reaves (heard as "Reeves"; likely Austin Reaves) played alongside Walker Kessler. The host says both looked really good.

• Podcast Locked On Lakers host · Prediction · Oct 16

  Prediction: the host expects Friday to bring the first live game action with the big three of Luka, Reaves and Kessler together, presumably for about a half.

• Podcast Ziaire Williams (quoted), via Locked On Lakers · Quote · Oct 16

  Williams (likely Ziaire Williams), who didn't play Tuesday, praised Kessler. As a full-court perimeter defender, he values having a rim-protecting defensive anchor behind him.

• Podcast Locked On Lakers host · Analysis · Oct 16

  Host analysis: the Lakers haven't had an interior presence since Anthony Davis was traded, and Kessler fills that gap just by doing what he's always done. He still has to stay healthy.

• Podcast Locked On Lakers host · Analysis · Oct 16

  If Nikola Jokic plays Friday, the host sees it as a good test of how Kessler affects the Lakers' defense.

• Podcast NBA GM survey; Zach Lowe (reported), via Locked On Lakers · Relayed report · Oct 16

  GM survey: Walker Kessler was listed as a potential breakout player. The host says Zach Lowe floated him this week as a Most Improved Player candidate.

• Podcast Locked On Lakers host · Opinion · Oct 16

  Host opinion: Kessler could get into Most Improved conversations if the Lakers perform and he transforms the defense. He'll get more exposure than he did in Utah, though the host thinks he'll also need to play at a higher level than he did with the Jazz.

• Podcast Locked On Lakers host · Prediction · Oct 16

  Prediction: projections commonly put Kessler around 12 points and 10–11 rebounds. The host doesn't believe he'll score only about 11 points if he plays 30 minutes a night, citing putbacks and lobs created by attention on Luka.

• Podcast Locked On Lakers host · Report · Oct 15

  Offseason moves: the Lakers used a lot of draft capital and money to bring in Walker Kessler, re-signed Austin (Reaves) on a big number, and gave commitments to Quentin Grimes and Mamu (likely Sandro Mamukelashvili).

• Podcast Andy Kamenetzky, Locked On Lakers · Analysis · Oct 15

  The host's view is that Kessler was the biggest piece Luka clearly wanted, apart from Austin (Reaves), and that the Lakers paid a premium for him. The host is fine with the price.

• X Dave McMenamin (@mcten) · Report · Oct 14

  New story: Lakers center Walker Kessler played in an NBA game for the first time in 347 days on Tuesday. And his impact was immediate. “It was a lot of fun being out there again," he said. "It's been so long” https://t.co/XdxdMOTerN

• X Law Murray (@LawMurrayTheNU) · Report · Oct 13

  Lakers outscoring Warriors by 13 points in Walker Kessler's 13 minutes, was a team-high +/- when he subbed out with 5:06 left in 1st half

• X Khobi Price (@khobi_price) · Report · Oct 13

  Walker Kessler going through on-court work ahead of Lakers-Warriors here in Las Vegas. JJ Redick just said Walker will be available to make his preseason debut tonight. https://t.co/1qvJACDUUn

Podcast items are our short summaries of what was said, credited to who said it; posts link to the original. Opinions and rumors are labelled as such and are not checked facts.

Game log